Restraining Order?  But What About
by Daethalion
Summary: As a child, Hinata remembers being rescued from bullies by a blonde loudmouth she soon learned to admire.  Her courage fails when she tries to approach, however, and forces her to resort to alternate means...
1. Chapter 1

I don't own Naruto, blah blah blah, etc etc.**  
><strong>

**Prologue**

She ran.

Head down, eyes screwed shut, with her breath escaping in short gasps, she ran.

She could never please Father. No matter how harshly he commanded, she could not muster the will to strike her own sister. No matter how hard she tried, her Jyuken remained flawed, weak. Her kind nature was regarded with scorn, unbecoming of a member of the Main Family. The more forgiving Branch members said she was too mild for the life of a kunoichi. Others said she was a traitor to her heritage. Her father said nothing, but whenever she saw the cold light in his glaring eyes as they bore down on her with enough force to bend her spine, she knew. She was an insult to their expectations.

So she ran. In her peripheral view, objects flew past on either side. People, banners, doorways, fences. None of it mattered. How could she face Konoha when her own family couldn't accept her?

All of a sudden, she crashed into something warm and yielding, stumbling back with a short cry. Looking up, she saw three older boys standing before her with shocked expressions on their faces. Then they looked down, and she spotted the spilled ice cream cone on the street.

"Hey, you!" the largest of the three growled at her. "Look what you made me do!"

She cringed back uncertainly. "S-sorry," she mumbled.

Within moments they had ushered her into a small dark clearing in the woods, not far from the path, and surrounded her. She refused to meet their gazes, instead staring past folded hands at her own feet.

"Hey, she's a Hyuuga, isn't she?" one of the boys observed. "Look at her eyes!"

"A Hyuuga, eh? I'll bet she's just like that Neji," another one added. "Those noble types are all the same, always thinking they're above everyone else."

She shook her head in protest, still refusing to look up. "N-no. I'm not like that," she squeaked. As she realized what was approaching, she felt a bolt of fear run through her, and suddenly her legs were moving, trying to take her away, anywhere without those glaring eyes.

A hand caught her by the shirt and dragged her back roughly. "Hey, wait you brat!" one of them said. "You can't just run away without apologizing! Now you've pissed me off!"

A hand clapped down on the top of her head, forcing it down until she fell to her knees and had to put out her arms to prevent herself from sprawling on the ground.

"C'mon, apologize already!" one of the boys ordered.

"Make sure you do it properly!" said another.

She tried to breathe, but her throat was constricted, admitting only a wheeze. "I'm sorry," she mumbled again.

"Oi, that's no good! Put some feeling into it!" the boys commanded. The hand was back on her head, pushing it down farther. "I said apologize already!"

Fear filled her, and with it came the familiar lash of shame. Once again, she'd failed to live up to the expectations of others. Was she destined to forever seek forgiveness from others for her shortcomings? Could anyone be so pathetic and worthless?

"I'm sorry," she said, as tears began to leak from her eyes. "I'm sorry! I'm sorry!"

"Quit it!" At the sound of that voice, her head came up in shock, wet tracks adorning her cheeks. That hadn't been one of the three boys she'd run into!

In their midst had appeared another child who looked to be about her age. She'd seen him before, on the swing in front of the academy. Those blonde spikes and blue eyes were unmistakable, as were the whiskers on his cheeks. He was easily dwarfed by all three of her tormenters, but he faced them so fearlessly!

The boys turned to face the newcomer. "And who might you be?" one of the drawled.

"Oh, he's that!" said the large one. "That good-for-nothing everyone hates because he's always causing trouble."

"Oh, that kid!" the third one said. "Yeah, 'that'" said the first.

"I'm not a 'that'!" the blonde boy yelled. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto, future Hokage! Remember it!"

The three boys leaned back, incredulous. "Hokage?" they asked together, before bursting into mocking laughter.

She kept her eyes on the blonde - Naruto, he'd said his name was. How he could stand there and declare his dream so freely was beyond her comprehension. Even as the three bullies laughed at him, he stood tall and defiant. How could anyone be so strong?

Her musings were interrupted as one of the boys resumed his taunting. "A brat like you can never be Hokage!" This time, the words were followed by a punch that went into Naruto's face, knocking him to the ground. She gasped, fearful for her would-be savior.

But he just stood right back up, wiping blood from his mouth and grinning madly. The boy who'd struck him tensed, unsure. "You wanna fight?" he demanded.

Naruto's grin widened. "Alright, just don't run crying afterward!" With that, his hands came together in a seal.

The three boys leaned back further, suddenly wary of the tiny child before them. "That's..."

"Bunshin no jutsu!" Naruto cried. A loud puff of smoke appeared, clouding their vision. As it slowly dispersed, the clone within came into view. It was pale and wobbly, and immediately sank to the ground pitifully.

The three boys erupted once more into laughter. "What a joke!" they cried.

Naruto used the distraction to tackle the closest one, barreling him onto his backside and landing across his stomach. "Hah! You let down your guard!" he yelled. "I'll definitely become Hokage," he growled as he started raining punches on the larger boy, "and show up people like you!"

She could only watch in dread fascination at the violence that had unfolded before her. This boy had jumped head first into the fray without any consideration for his own safety - all for her sake! No one had ever defended her feelings before. The Branch members watched to maintain her safety. Her Father watched to maintain her bearing and composure. Her cousin watched to maintain his superiority. Nobody watched to keep her spirits up. Nobody could.

Naruto had done it anyway. Even though the fight had gone beyond her own predicament, it was nevertheless perpetuated in her defense. She was so overcome by the thought and the feelings that welled up behind it that she could do nothing but bear witness.

Unfortunately, it wasn't going well for the little blonde. His victim's two friends had overcome their shock and joined the fray, dragging him out onto the dirt where they could administer a proper beating. She remained where she was, still overwhelmed by her fear. She could only avert her eyes, hoping to drive the scene from her mind, but the sounds persisted. The dull thwack of fists meeting flesh came again and again, and she flinched with each blow as though she were taking them herself.

"Hinata-sama!" a voice cried. She recognized it as that of her cousin and caretaker, Totsu. Startled, she looked up and spotted the chuunin running toward her, Byakugan active and clearly expecting trouble. The three boys who had been pummeling Naruto looked up as well and cried out in dismay, quickly running before they could meet punishment.

Finally coming to a stop before her, Totsu let his Byakugan deactivate and looked at her gently. "Hinata-sama, are you alright?"

She gazed at him silently, then looked down at Naruto, lying bruised and bloodied on the ground, unconscious. Totsu's gaze followed her own, and he started in recognition. "This boy..." he murmured. Immediately her hand was in his grasp as he pulled her to her feet. "Let's go, Hinata-sama."

She looked up at her cousin once more. "Wait, he helped me!" she cried desperately. How could he think of leaving Naruto like that? He was just a child, like her!

Totsu's gaze and tone became sharp. "Do not concern yourself with him! Let's go!"

"B-but-!" she protested weakly. However, her cousin's pull was irresistible, and she found herself being taken farther away from her rescuer. "Wait!"

She looked back, hoping that Naruto would miraculously wake and follow so that she could properly thank him, but to no avail. The small blonde continued to lay on the ground, unmoving. She was struck by how frail he looked when he wasn't yelling or running or fighting. It suddenly occurred to her that she'd never seen anyone care for Naruto the way her family cared for her - even if they were just attendants. Who were his parents, and where were they? Why did everyone seem to hate him?

The boy had stood up for her, for no reason than she was being bullied. Much like himself, she realized. At that moment she decided that if nothing else, _she _would not hate him. Somehow, she'd have to show him that there were people in the world who could accept him for who he was. Even if the entire village hated him, he'd have at least one friend. Maybe that would be enough?

She nodded to herself firmly. Tomorrow, she'd track Uzumaki Naruto down and deliver her thanks in person. And maybe she'd ask if he wanted to play while she was at it.

* * *

><p><em>Whew, it's been a while. This story is obviously based on the flashbacks during Hinata's part of the battle against Pain, but as you may guess from the title I have something else in mind. I hope you'll enjoy the later entries!<em>


	2. Chapter 2

**I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.**

**Naruto: Restraining Order? But What About...  
><strong>

**Chapter 1**

The first problem Hinata encountered the very next day was as insurmountable as it was stupidly obvious: she had no idea where to find Uzumaki Naruto. Having only explored the village on a handful of days and for brief periods of time - while under nearly constant supervision, it should be noted - the Hyuuga maiden could be forgiven her lack of familiarity with all of the popular hangouts, getaways, and secluded places offered by the combination of city sprawl and open forest. Not that knowing of any of these would have helped her anyway.

In fact, she was only barely aware of the existence of the playground on the north side of the main city park, since such places were regarded as being solidly beneath the dignity of a Hyuuga. Neji had spoken of it in particularly disparaging tones one day after having fallen from the monkey bars, and had not visited since. The explanation for his incident was not forthcoming.

In the end, having no logical place from which to begin her search, Hinata opted for the tried and partially true method of keeping her eyes open and hoping the blond boy would randomly cross her path sometime within the next forty minutes. She would have tried searching longer, but her caretaker for the day - a young woman from the Branch Family by the name of Sato - had other business to attend that afternoon which couldn't be put aside.

At that moment, Sato's voice broke into her musings. "Would you care to stop for lunch, Hinata-sama?"

Hinata, momentarily distracted, looked up at her companion hesitantly. "I-if it is alright with you, Sato-san." She wasn't very hungry, but stopping somewhere would give her the opportunity to stake out the area for a bit.

Sato smiled indulgently at her charge. "Of course, Hinata-sama. Do you have any preference?"

Hinata shook her head quickly. "Nothing in particular, Sato-san."

The older woman nodded and began scanning the market they were currently passing through. A fair number of Konoha's bistros and cafes happened to lie on their current path, offering plenty of choices... for common folk, at least. It was well known among the members of the Branch and Main Families that Hinata had no concern for such distinctions, but the greater populous of Konoha most certainly did not know, and for the sake of the clan's standing appearances had to be maintained. It would not do for any Hyuuga to be seen partaking of the so-called lesser venues. That being said, Sato decided to give in to temptation just this once, and soon spotted the object of her search - a rustic and hospitable-looking stall not two blocks away.

"Have you ever tried ramen, Hinata-sama?"

oooooo

As soon as they passed beneath the short curtains that hung over Ichiraku's ramen stand, Hinata was pleasantly surprised to see the object of her search sitting blithely on a stool directly in front of her, gesticulating wildly as he traded stories with the proprietor. The man in question seemed perfectly happy to be spending his time with the hyperactive blonde, something that struck Hinata as unusual after the events of the previous day. Unfortunately, the fact that they were so occupied also meant she couldn't approach the boy without interrupting their conversation, and that just wouldn't do. So she let Sato guide her to a stool at the end of the counter, several feet away from the chattering pair, and hand her a menu as they took their seats.

This was the moment that Hinata discovered her second problem for the day: she had no idea how she was going to initiate a conversation with Naruto. Should she address him directly? Should she contrive to 'accidentally' bump into him as he was leaving, and pretend their meeting was coincidence? Should she try passing a note? There were so many possibilities that she was paralyzed with indecision.

Meanwhile, as she was perusing Ichiraku's selection of noodles, Hinata couldn't help but overhear the conversation going on nearby.

"And it was, like, twenty feet off the ground! " Naruto was saying. "You shoulda seen their faces when they spotted it, ha ha! They were like, 'OH NOES', and I was all, 'Free hair dyes coming up!', and I cut the string, and they all started running every which way, ha!" Naruto's arms were waving all over as he spoke - it was a wonder his collection of bowls hadn't been toppled yet. "The best part is, there wasn't even any paint in there, see, it was a special mix of glitter dust and toothpaste, so it didn't come down very fast. But by the time it was really moving, the ANBU had showed up, just in time to get their masks completely splattered, just like I'd planned from the start, ha ha ha! I had to run pretty fast then, cause man those ANBU know how to get mad!"

To Hinata's surprise, the old man behind the counter didn't scold Naruto at all for what sounded like a perfectly horrible prank to pull on Konoha's elite protection squad... even if it did sound sort of funny. Instead, he gave a full-bellied laugh and patted the boy on the head fondly. "Naruto, I have to say that's one of the cleverest pranks I've ever heard of, and I should know! You wouldn't believe some of the things the kids in my generation would get up to in their free time. But you know," he leaned in slightly, "targeting ANBU like that isn't going to help you out much later on, if you get my meaning. You're a good kid Naruto, I'd hate to see you end up in trouble with the authorities."

Naruto pouted, causing his nose to scrunch up and his eyes to squeeze shut, accentuating the fox-like appearance his whiskers gave to his face. Hinata happened to be looking just as he did so, and felt her cheeks grow warm. _So cute!_

"Na, old man, don't you worry! Uzumaki Naruto isn't gonna be taken down that easily, believe it!" the boy proclaimed. He seemed just as sure of himself today as he had yesterday. Again Hinata found herself wondering at the strength it took to maintain such good cheer in the face of the overwhelming scorn the boy faced in the greater part of the village.

"Hinata-sama?"

At that moment Hinata realized Sato had been trying to get her attention for the last several minutes. "Oh," she said as she ducked her head slightly. "I'm so sorry, Sato-san! What were you saying?"

Sato looked at her curiously. "I was just wondering if you'd decided what you wanted, Hinata-sama. Are you alright?"

Hinata felt her cheeks growing warm again, this time from embarrassment. "I-it's nothing, Sato-san. But... I can't seem to make up my mind." In truth, she'd barely even glanced at the menu, so absorbed was she in Naruto's conversation.

Sato smiled at her in a manner that was _entirely _too understanding. "Would you prefer I make the choice for you, Hinata-sama?"

Hinata nodded, "Yes, thank you, Sato-san. I've never had ramen before so I'm afraid I don't really know what's good yet..."

Sato nodded once. "Alright then." Glancing around, she spied the very young girl behind the counter washing bowls and called out to her, "Excuse me, imouto-san, could you let your boss know we're ready to order?"

The girl jumped in surprise and turned around with a shocked expression before grinning at them ruefully. "Sure thing, Hyuuga-sama! I'll make sure Dad takes care of you right away!"

With that, the girl proceeded immediately to the older man and kicked him squarely in the shin. "Daddy! You're ignoring customers!"

"Aah!" The man immediately excused himself from the blonde boy's company, and rushed over to them. "Please forgive me, Hyuuga-sama! This old man's mind just isn't what it used to be, I'm afraid."

Hinata smiled shyly at the man, while Sato waved at him in a placating manner. "Nonsense, it's good form for a host to entertain his guests, ne, Hinata-sama?"

Hinata ducked her head in a nod, unable to say anything but, "Yes!"

The man looked in her direction for a second before breaking into a wide smile. "Ah, I see we have a brand new customer today! Welcome, little Hyuuga-sama! I'm Ichiraku Teuchi, the best purveyor of ramen in Konoha! And this," he indicated the little girl standing close by, "is my daughter Ayame-chan." He leaned forward conspiratorially. "She keeps me in line whenever I start getting distracted." With a wink and a grin, he leaned back. "So, what can I get for two such charming young ladies today?"

Hinata giggled at Teuchi's antics, despite the many lessons that had been drilled into her against such displays, and felt herself relaxing slightly. Sato grinned at the man in a familiar fashion and said, "I'll have a bowl of shrimp, and a bowl of miso for Hinata-sama."

"Coming right up!" Teuchi said, and immediately turned to see to their orders. It was the work of only a few short minutes for the man to cook their noodles, prepare the broth, and finally place their bowls before them. "First bowl's on the house," Teuchi said as he presented Hinata's bowl.

"T-thank you very much," she managed, still very shy in the man's presence (and Naruto's!).

Hinata and Sato both snapped their chopsticks, and with a quiet "Itadakimasu!" began to eat. Hinata was pleasantly surprised by the richness of the broth and noodles, and found herself with an empty bowl before she fully realized what had taken place. Sato, apparently the kind of person who liked to savor her food, was only half finished.

Without the distractions of Teuchi or Sato or ramen, Hinata took the opportunity to study her surroundings - and particularly Naruto - in greater detail. With a start, she noticed the blonde boy had already left while they were eating. She'd never heard him go, and she still had no idea how she was going to get him to talk with her!

It looked like she was back to square one.

oooooo

Over the next three weeks, Hinata took every opportunity to explore Konoha proper in the hopes of spotting Naruto again. And spot him she did, frequently. Unfortunately, she was never noticed herself, for the blonde prankster was almost always practicing his craft (or escaping the inevitable consequences thereof). One particular incident stood out from the others, in the Hyuuga maiden's mind, in which Naruto had somehow managed to give an entire bar crowd the slip with nothing more than a tarp and a judicious application of jawbreakers.

Regardless of her inability to get close enough to speak to the boy, Hinata did manage to gather enough information to plot his movements throughout the day. He usually woke up late in the morning, and immediately started his day at Ichiraku's with at least three bowls of ramen (Hinata still hadn't figured out just how Naruto was able to keep paying for such meals every day). He then traveled through the market for an hour, apparently scouting for the victims of his next prank, which seemed to involve being kicked out of every store on the row.

The pranks themselves usually took one to two hours to set up, depending on their complexity or Naruto's mood. Twenty minutes were spent escaping from whatever victims he angered, after which he disappeared for roughly another hour. Then he would show up at the park, and make yet another attempt to befriend any of the children he met there (these invariably ended in shouting from the children's mothers, or attacks from the children themselves). Once he left the park, he would either climb the path to the top of the Hokage Monument, walk around the lake near the Uchiha compound, or take up a seat on the swing by the Academy. By the time he came back from his bout of solitude, the day would have advanced enough that sensible folks would be preparing dinner, and Hinata would be compelled to return home.

Weeks became months. Months became years. Hinata gradually gained more and more freedom to move about the village, despite the continued presence of a bodyguard wherever she went. Her surveillance continued as well, though she eventually gave up on ever actually speaking with the loudest boy in Konoha, content to observe and chronicle his life from afar. At all times his good cheer and boundless enthusiasm remained a constant, and Hinata's admiration grew as she perceived the depths of his fortitude in the face of unrelenting abuse. His pranks became more and more elaborate, but little else of his routine changed, with one small exception.

For the last three years, Naruto had never been anywhere in sight on the Kyuubi Festival day, which took place every tenth of October. Although Hinata was required to play a role in the festivities as heir of the Hyuuga clan, this one fact did not escape her notice, nor did the mysterious roving bands with hostile auras that invariably appeared on this day of the year. The festival, named for the beast that was defeated on the edge of the village by the late Yondaime, was one of both celebration and remembrance, and she could find no reason for the presence of troublemakers. She also noticed that the people's mutterings about a 'demon brat' and 'that one' were always more frequent and virulent on this day in particular.

Hinata was not blind. Some way, somehow, Naruto seemed to be connected to the events that had transpired that night seven years ago. Judging from peoples' reactions to the boy's antics, she could assume his involvement was not considered benign, although what evils a newborn babe could accomplish she could not fathom. As far as she could see, he'd never done anything worthy of true punishment.

The day passed, however, and the next day would see a hyperactive blonde roaming the streets once more as though nothing untoward had taken place. From a short distance away, Hinata continued watching.

* * *

><p><em>So, I've been prevented from logging in for almost four or five months. For those who've been waiting for updates, I'm sorry this took so long. I had planned to write more, but I think I like the idea of shorter spotlight chapters rather than the grand narrative I'm planning for my other story. Expect more when you see it!<em>


	3. Chapter 3

**I don't own Naruto or any of its characters.**

**Naruto: Restraining Order? But What About...  
><strong>

**Chapter 2  
><strong>

Eventually the time came for Hinata to enroll in the shinobi academy, as expected of a member of one of Konoha's founding clans. As she entered her assigned room on the first day of classes, she noticed that in addition to many civilians, quite a few of the major clans were represented in her generation. She'd only met a very small number of these, however, as her activities usually kept her isolated from outsiders, and the clans only came together in more formal circumstances. That being the case, she was hesitant to approach anyone for the simple reason that she'd never engaged in casual mingling before. Nobody appeared too interested in meeting the heir of the Hyuuga clan at any rate, so she was spared from potentially awkward conversation.

And then a miracle occurred. _Uzumaki Naruto entered the classroom! _Hinata could barely breathe as her eyes fell on the conspicuous blonde child, let alone still her suddenly pounding heart. What if they sat next to each other? What if they didn't? What would happen if he noticed her? What if he didn't notice her? What if a rogue ANBU kidnapped him in retaliation for one of his pranks?

She was broken from her increasingly nervous internal monologue almost immediately as she watched Naruto approach somebody near the front of the class. No, not just somebody - a_ girl! Naruto was about to talk to a girl that wasn't her! _Something grew hot and tight in her chest, a sensation wholly different from the anxiety she had been experiencing a minute ago. At the same time, a cloud seemed to creep over her vision, shifting everything she saw into indistinct blobs of dancing lights. Unaccountably, the whole room seemed to be tinged red.

Then the girl Naruto had started talking to turned around and brained him with a fist, and the haze faded from her mind. Hinata noticed that although she was not part of any clan, she still had distinctive coloring. Really, pink hair? Immediately, Naruto was back on his feet, and as cheerful as ever, like nothing untoward had happened. Hinata wondered what he would do next, but was interrupted as an adult shinobi entered the room.

The man was average height, of average build, with dark hair that was pulled back into a short ponytail. His most prominant feature was a long, horizontal scar that sat right across his nose. Hinata had little desire to learn just how _that _had come about. After dropping several books on the table, the man looked around the room, straightened, and then _bellowed_.

"EVERYONE SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP!" he roared. The entire class was caught off guard by the sudden intrusion, many of them gaping. The man's eyebrows furrowed ever so slightly, and the silence was broken by the mad scramble of over twenty children trying to find a seat. After sweeping his gaze over them quietly, he nodded once, and spoke again. "Good. I want you to take a long look at the people on either side of you, because you're going to be sitting next to them for the rest of the year." Hinata blanched - Naruto wasn't even close to her! She was sitting in the back, half a mile from the boy who was seated two-thirds of the way to the front.

"Now that you're all settled, let's begin. My name is Umino Iruka, and I'll be your instructor for the duration of your careers here at the academy. From time to time you will also be taking lessons from my partner, Mizuki. Throughout the next four years, you will become familiar with the history of our nation and the founding of Konoha, as well as a succession of the most important figures in our heirarchy. You will learn the theory and the practical application of the basic forms of shinobi combat. And you will learn about what it means to be a shinobi for Konoha."

"Since this is our first day together," Iruka continued, "I will have everyone here introduce themself to the class. When I call on you, you will stand, speak your name, and give us a brief description of what you hope to accomplish here. First, the boy at the end of the front row!"

oooooo

The introductions passed uneventfully, with a few exceptions - most notably, of course, in the case of Naruto, who again proclaimed his wish to become Hokage. Hinata learned that the pink haired girl, who was called Sakura - obvious, really - was indeed a civilian, and the first of her family to attempt a shinobi career. Then of course came the other clans' children, from the well-regarded Nara, Akimichi, and Yamanaka families, to the lesser Inuzuka and Aburame, and finally to the ever-so-highly revered (and resented) Uchiha clan, the only equal to her own. Somehow, every single clanschild was a scion of the very head of the family they represented. Clearly, someone had great faith in the abilities of their teacher, for him to be given responsibility for the future of such an elite group of students.

Eventually, the time came for Hinata to stand and give account of herself to the class. She performed as expected of a true Hyuuga - which was to say she offered nothing personal and spoke only of her desire to bring honor to the clan and the village. Then her moment of attention passed to the next person on the row, until finally they were done.

Iruka nodded once more. "Now that we are all acquainted, I will begin your first lesson by covering the basics of chakra manipulation." He paused as the children readied their notebooks. "Chakra is a combination of physical and spiritual energy that circulates throughout the bodies of all living things. Your physical energy is what grants your body the energy to perform tasks and basic survival functions, and to recover from injury and illness. It also provides stamina and endurance. Spiritual energy is a bit harder to describe, but most authorities agree that it represents your mental fortitude and the quality of your senses. With greater spiritual energy comes greater ability to perceive the world around and greater ability to withstand unusual forms of stress. By combining these two energies in various amounts, a ninja can produce the raw chakra they need to perform their special abilities. For our first exercise, I have here a collection of leaves on my desk. When I call your name, come forward and..."

oooooo

The classes began slowly - almost too slowly for many of the clan children who, like Hinata, had clearly well-established fundamentals. Even so, many of the civilians in their group struggled to keep up. Sakura was a notable exception. Not only did she seem to have their textbooks completely memorized, but she seemed able to master every basic task she was given on the first try. It was a little unnerving. Naruto, by contrast, seemed born to fail at everything he attempted. During the chakra exercises he displayed a total lack of control that caused many a mishap - much to the consternation of their teachers and the ridicule of the other students. In shuriken drills his aim was so poor that many wondered if he would show better results if he were instructed _not _to hit his target. And as for taijutsu practice... well, Mizuki's nose wouldn't take _too_ long to heal.

Despite all of his setbacks, Naruto never lost his enthusiasm or his good cheer. Unfortunately for Hinata, that persistence also extended to his newfound wish to make Sakura his One True Love - no matter how many concussions she tried to give him. Hinata was beginning to wonder if the hyperactive blonde would ever look her way (she also began wondering if Naruto was _that way _when it came to the matter of pain, but decided not to pursue that path of madness). On some levels she almost didn't want him to notice her. After all, following his every move would become difficult and awkward if the boy started paying attention to her. On the other hand, the chance that her admiration - and yes, even affection - might be returned... well, it wasn't safe to think about that for too long. Hinata usually lost track of her surroundings when she indulged in her fantasies.

Strangely, despite Naruto's experience at evading the victims of his pranks or schoolroom antics, he never caught on to just how closely his every move was being followed and catalogued. Hinata sometimes pondered the implication that she was destined to be a stealth specialist - it was the only explanation she could think of for the way her precence continued to go unnoticed by the hyperactive blond. Not that she minded. Going unseen gave her a great deal of access to Naruto's personal affairs - his mail, the quality of his life at what passed for a home, the state of his laundry... clearly, the boy was living on the ragged edge of poverty with no reprieve in sight. At least she discovered how he was able to keep eating out every day - it turned out the Hokage had been sending Naruto a monthly stipend with more than enough buffer for living expenses beyond rent and utilities. Hinata often wondered what connection existed between Naruto and the Sandaime, but, lacking the means to find out, she had to content herself with the knowledge that for the time being, at least he wasn't in serious trouble.

But if the time came when trouble did find Naruto, Hinata would be there to - discreetly - help him back onto his feet.


End file.
